Trek 800 Antelope Build

So, batteries. As I remember it for the chopper I went for the wally world lead acid battery because it was cheap and easy, and I'd just been in Wally World for a car battery. Go figure.

Enter Amazon and a plethora of choices.

I like the idea of being able to come home pull out a small battery pack and load the batteries into the charger and be done with it. Enough NiCad or rechargable alkalines to make a couple of 12v battery packs can be had for pretty cheap. I already have ton of them since I have used them in all my LED lights on the MadWagon plus all the flashlights in the house.

But just for discussion you can now get a 2 pack of NiCd for 99 cents on amazon. I remember when I'd get a 2 pack of NiCd at GizmoHut (radio shack) for $12. I was an early adopter of rechargable batteries with my my gadgets in the '90s as was the rest of my family.

Anyway, to get 12v with NiCd batteries you need 10 in a battery holder. These are not cheap nor easy to find. Also battery life? not so great.

GizmoHut has a variety of 4 and 6 holders that you'd have to pair up to make 10.

One could go with a small 12v rechargable battery, like this one for alarm systems, but it's probably going to get drained fast.

Maybe a battery like this, made for big handheld lights would work? Dunno.

This small 12v battery could be hidden anywhere on a bike, is rechargable and not too heavy, about $16 with shipping, could have 2 on bike with ease.

Here's a good one, a 2 pack for razor electric scooters.

The smaller you go the fewer AH you get.

As i see it, the big obstacle to getting a legal lighting system on these things is cost. With ease you are looking at $150 in just parts, we aren't talking about wires, solder, shrink tube etc. Add to the list creating mounting brackets and points for the lights...

Not to mention time. Getting the lights on the chopper was a massive PITA and I only had a head and tail light. Add 4 more lights to that?

Even if you are doing a "sorta legal" lighting system you've still got the expense aspect. and the PITA aspect. And by sorta legal I mean one of those cheapo "turn signal and brake" kits for bikes as well as a few LED lights.

I will probably do some research for a "sorta legal" kit since it can probably be done via amazon for about $50 to $75...

so for the "sorta" aka not legal at all but let's pretend lighting set up.

You can get this, pure carp directional and brake light. $8 with shipping

I had one of those on the madwagon and I had better luck than most with it but it is a shoddily made hunk o' junk.

This looks like it's a slightly better made hunk o' junk. For about $22

So either of those 2 options gets you past the "directional" and brake lights bit.

For the headlight, a few LED flashlights could do the trick.

Like this one, prime eligible, bright and aboutt $11

or this one for $10.

I really liked the s, I felt they made me more visible. So how about a 6 pack of 'em for $11

So, by using a cheap-o or slightly less cheap-o directional signal and brake light you can get away with a "sorta" legal lighting system, that uses all LED and AAA batteries for between $30 and $50.

It's probably possible to use the wiring in the cheapo directional kit to rewire the LED lights to make more powerful indicators... It's probably also possible to wire up a 4.5v battery pack rather than load each light with a 3 pack of batteries...

Just some thoughts.

Well, all the parts I ordered should get here by Wednesday of next week. Most have an "expected" delivery date of Monday.

I spent today putting zipties on my spokes, shimming the hub so the sprocket doesn't move around on it, and thinking about a "sorta" legal lighting situation.

just for note: Coudl use these as blinkers wired up to a switch, get 4, 2 for back and 2 for front. Get an amber cover...
http://dx.com/p/fly-wolf-knight-tq-767-bike-bicycle-2-mode-6-led-white-light-lamp-red-167232

that's a good lookin' ride Scotto! Someday I'll have a 4 stroke.

Well some happiness on the build, got my new rag joint in the mail today. I bought it from this guy on eBay. Price was $10.49 with free shipping. That made it cheaper to about the same price as anywhere else than I found it when combined with shipping. A lot of these places jack up shipping rate astronomically. A padded flat rate priority mailer can have up to 70lbs stuffed into it for a flat fee based on its size, mostly it's around $5.50 and a flat rate box can be shipped for $10 with free pick up, yet most of the sellers charge double that for priority.

/postage rant

I'm glad it came in, but we've got family visiting so I'll just have to sit and stare at it instead of getting it on the tire until tomorrow.

Got the sprocket mounted and ready to go. I don't know how you guys with big man hands get your sprockets on, I have small woman hands and it was a beast to get the sprocket on. Dropped nuts and washers, then dropping the wrench and socket. Cursing a lot seemed to help matters.

It's on, plenty of tire clearance but it's just missing the frame without the tensioner on.

I was worried the engine was going to be crap after sitting for 3 years in the garage. But, I'm able to hold up the back tire and crank the pedals with my hand and it has that familiar and happy time engine sound.

That put a smile on my sweaty dirty face.

I also found a few heavy duty zipties, so I used those as a temporary way to hold the tank in place. I plan on getting some large hose clamps but for now the zipties seem to do the job well enough.


I actually like how the zipties are almost invisible on the black of the tank.

I sold a few more books which means 2 things, first I can go to the RMV and attempt to get a registration. Which will determine if I then have to go to another RMV or ride or switch things up and move everything over to the MadWagon frame, which would be a renewal. Secondly, it means I need to hit the brakes on this and make some more notebooks for sale.

The grips are on their way. The levers aren't fixed on it yet and I'm not sure I like the blue levers enough to use them. I think I have some black levers in the garage.

I used to mountain bike religiously. Then I moved to the city switched my bike over to slicks and used it to commute. Back then you could get a bike pass for the T for $5 and it lasted for 3 or 5 years. Biking to the T and then to my job was the fastest way to get there. It was 10 min by train or bike or 30 min by car. Anyway, I got out of work late one night and I got to this intersection and went to cross the street, looked both ways, red lights and a no turn on red. I went to cross, and a minivan full of drunk college professors from the local bible college ran the red light. Luckily I saw their headlights out of the corner of my eye and was able to swerve out of the way. Their side mirror hit my tricep as I maneuvered out of their path and something hit my front tire just a smidge.

I kept pedaling until the wheels new shape wobbled too much and I flopped over. The guy who had ran the red light in the first place finally stopped, got out and started to yell at me. The old lady in the back got him to stop yelling. I could smell the wine on his breath.

Anyway, I was wearing a wool sweater and the side mirror left an imprint of its texture on my skin, I could feel it for a week as the bruise faded.

That's pretty much when I stopped riding as seriously as I did in college. While I wasn't badly hurt I was pretty shaken up. I was working a crappy job with no health insurance and they kept messing with my check. The accident pushed me to find a better job- better pay and health insurance. But it also left me with little time for biking.

Fast forward 10 years and I built my first motor assisted bicycle, now I'm onto #2.

WellI got my last 2 parts in the mail today. The alloy clutch lever is nice, much nicer than the old pressed metal thing that came with the engine. I'm pretty happy with that.

I also got a new throttle and matching grip. The "chrome" end pieces are laughable and will soon fall off or lose the chrome. The rubber is very heavy and feels like it will be comfortable on the bike.

However it looks like they took a pair of nice grips and cast a mold of them and then cast another mold from that mold and another mold from that. On one side of the grips you can see wings and in the center what should be an eagle's head and body, except the mold is worn out and it looks like an eagle's arse, it's head is completely gone. I laughed and laughed. Hilarious to me. I dunno, it's wrong but I love it.

Lots and lots of work done. Throttle installed. Brake levers adjusted and put where they should be. Clutch lever installed, I over tightened it and it snapped but I'm able to tighten it more and it stays in place, so it broke in juuust the right spot. Felt like a real dummy for that. I did one of those, "It's ok now, but one more half turn for good measure." Then I heard the pop of the cheap alloy breaking. Sigh.

Grip shift for the back gears is installed on the left side. Not optimal but it works quite well. It wouldn't fit on the right side. I cut the left side eagle arse grip down to the right size and slide it on. Super thick rubber, not cushy but gives the handle bars a good feel.

I found the special petcock with "clear" aka yellowed plastic dish that came with the tank. I love the look of it so I cleaned it out and put it on today. Looks pretty cool. Added the gas line and clamped it down. ziptied it loosely to a couple of spots on the frame.

Throttle is also installed and even with the eagle arses on it, it's moving smoothly and looks like it will do the job. Also added new sealant to the intake and properly installed the carb.

The rear tire and tube are shot. Totally flat. I have a set of matching brand new nobbies that came with a bike I bought. (Was a steal, kid's roomie stiffed him on 2 month's rent and left him with 2 bikes, a Gary Fisher and a Trek, plus 2 brand new tires. I got the whole lot for under $100. Sold the Fisher that was too big for me to a friend and scavenged a few parts off the Trek also too big for me and gave the rest of it to my Dad. The frame is the right size for him, and the front shocks made him happy. He's got an old Sear's bike motor that he wants to mount on the front or back. Can't wait to see it. It's a fun little motor.)

I also have a new tube in the garage, so tomorrow I'll get the old tire off, and a new tube and tire on.

I also need a new chain. I have a tub that has a bunch of old chains in it. Well, in the 2 years I haven't been in my garage water got into it, so I have a tub full of rust.

It's entirely plausible that I could get this thing running before I leave for vacation Wednesday night. But unlikely.

Anyone ever put one of these on one of those car bike racks? You know the racks that hang off the trunk? Sort of kidding but sort of not. How awesome would it be to put a fresh set of nobbies on this, and get it up to Maine and ride it all over my Dad's farm? He's cut trails into his woodlot for his atvs. I've ridden them on my mountain bike, but he's cut even more trails into even more remote acreage that I've only walked. I think he'd love to try it out too. He gets a real kick out of my creations. With the luck I've been having lately it'd fall off the back of my car and kill someone.

When these things come together they come together fast. This afternoon I got the rest of the build together. Everything is ON the bike and wired up as it should be.

So I took her for a spin, no gas in it. Just to be sure it pedals, shifts and brakes well. I couldn't resist it, I popped the clutch and it turned over! Oh man, heaven.

That happy time sound.

Then screeeeech grinding halt. Chain popped off the sprocket. Bunched up in the clutch. Luckily I was literally in my driveway when it happened. Scared the carp outta me.

I was worried for a second that I'd fubar'ed the engine. Then I remembered reading a thread about sprocket popping and that sometimes, the chain bunches up around the small gear. I was able to get the cover off and pop the chain off the small gear. The chain had also wedged itself between the spokes and the sprocket. No spokes were harmed, I suspect because I was where i was and not further away. I'm pretty sure the tensioner was the cause of the problem. Everything was lined up and is lined up perfectly, or was.

I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow. The earliest I'll be able to get the sprocket fixed will be next week.

Here's a picture of the eagle arse grip. Hilarious. I think I'm naming this build "Eagle Butt."

Also here's a picture of the "fancy" petcock. It's different. I like it.

I almost wish I could postpone the vacation another day so I could get this thing on the road...

Back from visiting family in DownEast Maine. Man, I really wish I could have brought the bike with me. Cool nights for sleeping and warm days for outside.

Hot as heck here and the only time it's cool enough to be in my garage is night, so I just got in from the garage.

I replaced all the bolts on the sprocket and put the wheel back on. I also checked to see if the wheel was true and it had a slight wobble, but nothing that would have an effect. I fixed it anyway. My ghetto wheel stand is an old front fork set into a hole in my stool. It's stretched out to accommodate a rear wheel. I hold a sharpie against the fork and spin the wheel. Works great. This also lets me spin the wheel to see if the sprocket is true. Simply hold a stick at the high point of a tooth, spin the wheel, if a tooth misses it entirely, problems, if a tooth rips it out of your hand problems. No problems with this sprocket.

I put the wheel back on and then adjusted the tensioner.

I bought some gas and filled up the tank.

The the gas started to leak out of the carb, a steady flow. Turns out the float was stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Easy fix.

With everything working and looking right I tempted fate and took her for a spin. First I shot across the street and up the slight hill of the public works parking lot. Coming down the hill I pop the clutch, not enough speed. Chain didn't come off. So, I pedal down the street, gain some speed, pop the clutch again.

Lift off.

Heck yeah.

Big grin on my face.

Didn't last long, 30 seconds later the chain popped off, I heard it happening and was able to divert disaster. Luckily I wasn't going fast and was able to come to a halt in an empty parking lot. This time the chain wasn't JAMMED between the sprocket and spokes so I was able to push the bike home with relative ease.

I get it home and see that the tensioner is again the culprit. I said a bunch of words not allowed on this forum. I pull the crappy white plastic tensioner off and put on one of my turned skateboard wheels. I move it to and fro to see where it seems to work best. It seemed right.

Then I decided to go for another spin. It was not to me, the chain popped off in the driveway. I said a lot more of those words not allowed on this forum.

Anyway. I ordered a new tensioner, one that won't bend, or shouldn't. We'll see.

At this point I'm eying the Chopper because I KNOW that will work, all I have to do is drop the engine BACK onto that frame. Except, well, I don't want to.

All of this is very frustrating. I can only work on the bike after dark, when I'm already tired. I feel like I take 2 steps forward and 3 back. At this point I'm considering naming the bike "Tease."

New tensioner is here! I'll get that on the bike tomorrow, maybe tonight after dark. As it's about a billion degrees here today, and no relief expected until tomorrow night. that means my garage is a billion and 1 degrees. Also whatever is in the air has been giving my allergies fits. The heat makes it 100 times worse. My eyes look like I'm been hitting the wacky for 24 hours straight and then crying. The medication I take for the allergies doesn't help much either, makes my head feel like mush.

Anyway, along with the arc tensioner I ordered I also ordered a 6v chrome bullet headlight. It will look awesome on the bike once I also order a big old CREE headlight to wedge in there. The plan is to use part of the reflector to mount a CREE headlight with an external battery pack and switch. Eventually that will also run a brake light. One piece at a time.

It dropped down to 91 degrees so I figured I head out to the garage. It was so hot I started to sweat just looking at my bike. I had planned on simply painting the arc tensioner. Instead I decided to also see if I could shorten the chain. And I did, I was able to remove 2 more links by moving the engine around. That definitely tightened things up. I felt better about it.

The chain I'm using is the old one from the chopper. It had a few hundred miles on it. I probably shouldn't have been trying to use it and just bought a new one. I lifted the back tire up and kicked the pedal a few times to see how the chain went, i got a few good turns of the back tire before the chain boogered up in the clutch area, and then jumped the sprocket. When I got the cover off the chain was broken in there. I was too shocked to say the bad words I usually do. Anyway, I got the chain off and looked at it and there wear a few links that were ever so slightly twisted here and there. Scary stuff.

Anyway. I'll buy a new chain as soon as I sell another book.

With that on hold, I started to look at the sprocket and the alignment. Here I realized that the rear sprocket wasn't aligned well to the sprocket, though it had been. When I moved the engine, I think it shifted it a tad bit.

So I'm taking the sprocket off and flipping it over. I use the electrical/duct tape trick to get it aligned properly, the measure it several times. The only problem is that the bolts I bought to replace the cheap POS that came with it are shorter than the originals. When the rag joint is compressed they fit when it's not, they don't. So I need to go buy 9 more longer bolts. Sigh. Oh well.

I am positive this build was created to teach me patience and how to swear more.

Anyway, here's a pic of the arc tensioner and where it mounts. I really like the look. It's also VERY rugged.




Also the chrome light. I hooked it up to a 9v battery and it was surprisingly bright. It will get a CREE "bulb" replacement from Amazon eventually. I'll use the current bulb until it dies. I foresee the clip that holds the lens in giving out, so I'll have to figure out a way to beef that up.


Hopefully, tomorrow I can get the sprocket fixed and maybe sneak the new chain out of the grocery money... The spouse won't notice...

Southgate Jonny said:

You shouldn't have to buy 9 new bolts. I had the same situation as yours, here is what I did: Tighten up 3 of the original pos bolts (1 in the middle hole of each plate) enough to take out the slack so you can fit the shorter bolts in. Before you install the shorter bolts and with the orig. bolts partially tightened, tune your sprocket so it's nice and centered. Once it's perfectly centered you should be able to tighten the original bolts enough so the shorter ones allow enough space for the washers and nuts. Then pull out the original bolts and intsall the remaining 3 shortys. Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

DOH! That makes so much sense it's ridiculous.

Sprocket installed again. Perfect. Everyone should try the shimming trick, gets it perfect every time. Also thanks to Southgate Jonny for suggesting the obvious about the bolts.

Arc tensioner installed with a skateboard wheel. Works sweet. Look neat. I need to trim the U-bolts holding it on and hit them with a shot of black paint. The thing is rigid.

I looked all over for a 415 chain, no one in the area carries one, well no one who was open, LBS wasn't open. I dug through some drawers and it turns out I had one, in the package and ready to go. Installed tight.

pedaled it around, no problems with tension or chain popping off. gave it some gas, she turns over but won't stay running once I hit the clutch. It's like it's getting enough gas to turn over but not sustain running. Will look at it some more tomorrow.

I need to tune the shifting so it works properly. Right now it's all over the place.

the brakes need to be tuned as well. Now that I have the tire centered better they are all out of sorts on the back, the front works well.

I need to put on my new front tire with the one that matches the rear.

Pretty much dead from the workout of peddling the bike, pretty sad state of what 5 years parking my butt at a desk. God I'm out of shape. The big problem with testing it out tomorrow is that my street is pretty busy and there is more of a cop presence until after 6pm. Everyone uses my street to get around the traffic on the adjacent street.